Eagerly waiting on a temperature drop… the last week has just been that!!! This morning was a nice 5.5c with a relatively low humidity. Dogs got loaded into the van/truck, and we hit the forest with a very crazy eager to run team :o) Just need to build up there muscles now!!!

This season, basically is going to be a repeat of last year… fall training in England… sled training in Sweden… and then onto the 12th addition of the Aplen Trail, that takes place in the magnificent Alps.

One of our yearlings after her run...

The Alpen Trail 2009 participants list has been growing fast… for more info please visit Alpen Trail 2009

Have a great season...

10/4/2008 4:27:10 PM UTC    Comments [0] 

Tragic death of Didier Dagueneau...

The 52 year od former Alpen-Trail musher died in a flying accident on Sept. 17, 2008. He plunged with his ultra light aircraft 50 meters to the ground in Dordogne, France and thereby being killed.
 
Didier drove in his youth sidecar motocross and then later sled dog sport. His first Alpen-Trail race was in 1998 with Siberian Huskies in the 12 dog class.

In the 1980’s he began with winegrowing. He was one of the best Sauvignon Blanc producers and received many world-wide awards and honors.

Our sympathy goes out to his family, his partner Susanne Cremer and their two children.

Our memory will always be with you.

Your Alpen-Trail family

9/19/2008 6:25:08 PM UTC    Comments [0] 

Opportunity to work with Siberians in Sweden…
Handler/Apprentice Guide Wanted (September thru to April)

This is a great opportunity to learn and work at a professional sled dog tour kennel, as a handler/apprentice guide.
For any further information, please contact Graham at...
Axehandle Mountain Sled dog tour kennel
Sweden
Phone +46 644 700 06
GSM +46 70 6887290
Eml: graham.kent@telia.com
www.axehandle.be

8/20/2008 5:54:42 PM UTC    Comments [0] 

soooo cute....

7/5/2008 8:09:42 PM UTC    Comments [0] 

The preparations for the 12th Edition of Alpen-Trail has begun. The stage races will take place from the 16th till 24th of January 2009. To where each of the stages will take place is still being negotiated. More details will be known sometime this summer.

The Alpen-Trail Organisation Team
Verfasser: HR.News

7/1/2008 2:04:01 PM UTC    Comments [0] 

As from yesterday, cute little puppies started to open there eyes…
All puppies have there names now… we used an Arda, Ancient Greek & Egyptian theme.

Arwin

Echo

Isis

Ivana

Zeus

6/25/2008 7:52:49 PM UTC    Comments [0] 

On Thursday 12th June, Chrome gave birth to five pups :o) she had two boys and three girls.
The first one was born at 9:40am, and the last at 11:52am… all are thriving and doing well.

6/14/2008 3:59:31 PM UTC    Comments [0] 

Since being back in England from our overseas adventures, it’s all been very crazy for me setting up a new website hosting and development company.

But with a long awaited break, this bank holiday I have been sitting out in the garden with my dogs, and made a start on the book Donna so kindly got me for Christmas.

Miller’s Anatomy Of The Dog, 3rd Edition, By Howard E. Evans, Ph.D.

The book is a very overwhelming comprehensive reference to canine anatomy, and as one review I read put it, “Its incredibly wordy”, and another mentioned, “intimidated by it.”, can be so true !!!

Chapter one, “The Dog and its Relatives”, with reference back too as far as the Cretaceous period (Early order of Mammals), is a very interesting opening to the book… with ongoing molecular genetic findings… hybridization between domestic dogs and wild canids… origin… and so on…
I know; some of you might be thinking, you are not studying to be a vet, “true”, but with a strong interest in dogs and as a big part of my life, I think the book is relevant and I seem to find myself interested in the subject, in search to learn more about dogs.

Hopefully I can get back to it tomorrow…

5/4/2008 8:06:07 PM UTC    Comments [0] 

Hopefully we will hear the cry of some new puppies very soon !!!

4/15/2008 8:17:58 PM UTC    Comments [0] 

It all seems quite warm at the moment, at around 9c during the day and 7c at night… Dogs are all now starting to wind down a little getting ready for spring, and puppies got harness broken on the 26th Jan… Storm, the crazy one of our two pups out of Risk & Sheenjek, did very well, while Kai the more calmer one of the two, was a little questionable at first; but over the past few weeks he has started to develop very nicely, crazy and very strong.
To date, pups have been practicing on a 3 to 4 mile loop every Sunday since harness breaking… I’ll probably get a few more weeks in before it gets to hot to run them.

Storm (View pedigree) 

Kai (View pedigree)

The other thing on the agender, is breeding for this year… Chrome should come into heat around early April, and I have decided to breed her to Sting. Both dogs have given me 100%... and Chrome has taught me so much when it comes to trusting your lead dog out on the trail. Sting, although completely crazy with not much sense of direction, is a very lovable, hard working and structurally well balanced dog… besides, he was my first Alaskan who pretty much paved the way for me :o)

Chrome X Sting

3/8/2008 5:29:49 PM UTC    Comments [0] 

In the early hours of Monday morning we arrived back in England from the Alpen Trail. It was surperb times… so it’s always hard to get back into the swing of things back home.

The Alpen Trail for me was a very special race, as it was my first real race. And to complete it was an overwhelming experience and proud to say the least… of my self and the dogs, as a team. The race is not for the faint hearted for sure… as the Lu stage elevates 1200m in short very sharp inclines, and Sexten elevates by 1550m, but once you are up… the scenery is just breathtaking.

Picture taken by a tourist

Organisation of the race was superb, while remaining adaptable to the environment changes. Musher’s maintain a very high fair sportsman’s like attitude, working together, especially as head on passing is required on most stages near the turn arounds, and it takes you, your trusted dogs and other teams on the trail to make it work.

The mass start in Sexten was fantastic… like chariots of fire with sled dogs... such a superb feeling. Pictures of the mass start can be found under my Alpen Trail 2008 album, along with other AT pictures.

Team Alpen Trail (dog proud)
Alpen Trail 2008 album

Many thanks and appreciation goes out to the AT team, all the musher’s, and  best friend Malc and brother Mick for being handlers that has also helped to make this a very memorable experience :o) have a great year and prosper.

Results of Alpen-Trail 2008:
8 Dog class:
Heini Winter GER (10:04:51)
Marte Heilemann NOR (10:23:42)
Michael Link GER (10:29:09)

6 Dog class:
Jørn Størbraaten NOR (11:52:30)
Susanne Cremer  FRA (11:54:06)
Florian Bachmann GER (12:28:51).

View more results

1/23/2008 5:28:15 PM UTC    Comments [1] 

Around mid day tomorrow, we leave Sweden for Switzerland… home to the first two stages of AT.

Happy trails...

1/7/2008 8:48:14 AM UTC    Comments [0] 

Arrr... so so cute.

1/5/2008 3:00:32 PM UTC    Comments [0] 

Yesterday Graham and James went out on skidoos (snow machines) to check if the river had frozen enough to run dogs on… all was good!

Running dogs up a frozen river is superb :o) and gives you a great opportunity to take in the wilderness that surrounds you... double bonus.

ooh... not totally frozen... but good as dam it!!!

1/4/2008 9:41:37 PM UTC    Comments [0] 

Today; Musher’s Malc, Graham, Betan, Tim, James, Jenny and I all ventured to the local lake with six to eight dog teams, a 30km round trip from the Axhandle Mountain dog yard.
Besides the breathtaking scenery and venturing onto the lake with your dogs, the trail back gave me a great opportunity to practice passing (overtaking). First I had my team pass Betan & Tim, then Graham and I played cat and Mouse… all went very well. Once back near the dog yard, I continued on with the 27km trail to get some miles on the dogs. We did 57km in all, which a good 15km of that involved breaking trail. All good experience for me and the dogs.

Picture by Graham Kent

Graham’s team and mine practicing overtaking and running together for photo shoot :o)

Many thanks to all the Mushers mentioned above for great and successful day...

1/2/2008 7:45:59 PM UTC    Comments [0] 

Happy new year from us and all the team at Axhandle Mountain.

Have a great year and season... happy trails :o)

1/1/2008 4:47:09 PM UTC    Comments [0] 

Team 'A' 54km in total today... 6c below and calm...

String working too hard as usual (wheel right)

12/29/2007 5:27:22 PM UTC    Comments [0] 

Chrome

Tasha

Ripley & Risk

12/28/2007 5:31:56 PM UTC    Comments [0] 

Axhandle Mountain kennel

12/27/2007 7:09:01 PM UTC    Comments [0] 

Malc setting off with team 'B' on one of his two 12km training runs...

I set off laters with team ‘A’ on two-27km runs… which included one night run… and what a fantastic feeling it is, to run your dogs on snow under the rising of a full moon under calm weather conditions. Just you, your dogs and the great vast snowed covered wilderness... a feeling that I can only describe as amazing while fearful and awe-inspiring... many thanks Graham.

12/26/2007 6:28:44 PM UTC    Comments [0] 

Merry Christmas from us and all our dogs... have a fantastic day.

Dogs and Mushers rest day :o)

12/25/2007 2:45:49 PM UTC    Comments [0] 

Base Camp (Axhandle Mountain dog yard cabin)

Beautiful sunrise…

Our dogs... resting...

Axhandle Mountain Puppies...

On the trail... 30km today...

12/23/2007 7:02:21 PM UTC    Comments [0] 

Arrived at Graham Kent's kennel (Axhandle Mountain) in Sweden safe, Sound and tired around 3pm... 1700 miles is a long drive :o)

12/17/2007 6:50:32 PM UTC    Comments [0] 

Now on 20 mile loop, we currently have 380 miles on the dogs. Tomorrow’s run will be there final local forest run this year, as we head out to Sweden Sunday :o)

12/13/2007 6:39:04 PM UTC    Comments [0] 

6 dog class:
Bachmann Florian	Vöhrenbach	GER	Veteran
Ballas Thorsten	Lampertheim	GER	Veteran
Börlin Veronica	Unterbach	SWI	Veteran
Lorenzo Lorenzo Roberto	Galicia	ESP	Rookie
Marina Javier	Burgos	ESP	Veteran
Martinez Erik	Le Vernet	FRA	Rookie
Menghinella Maurizio	Spello	ITA	Veteran
Rogg Hans	Mindelheim	GER	Veteran
Dr. Schmid Christoph	Rimbach	GER	Rookie
Steigenberger Otto	Kiefersfelden	GER	Veteran
Størbraaten Jørn	Oslo	NOR	Rookie
Dr. Ulrich Alfred	Schnelldorf	GER	Veteran
Walter Manuela	Koblenz	SWI	Veteran
Weber René	Menziken	SWI	Rookie
Wubs Martin	Rottweil	GER	Veteran
8 dog class:
Bartolini Matteo	Vicchio Firenze	ITA	Veteran
Binzer Lutz	Langerringen	GER	Veteran
Bogart Fabienne	Maura	NOR	Rookie
Brinkmann Volker	Brinkmann	GER	Veteran
Brockmann Uwe	Biesenthal	GER	Rookie
Cremer Susanne	Saint-Andelain	FRA	Veteran
Föger Erwin	Obsteig	AUS	Veteran
Gausereide Per Olav	Maura	NOR	Rookie
Gut Thomas	Frauenau	GER	Veteran
Haas Martin	Ramsei	SWI	Rookie
Hansen Morten	Oslo	NOR	Rookie
Heilemann Marte	Oslo	NOR	Veteran
Krempl Hannes	Oberhaching	AUS	Veteran
Kriegler Winfried	Wiesenburg	GER	Veteran
Kuhn Uli	Wotersen	GER	Veteran
Laudel Jens	Netzichkau	GER	Rookie
Link Michael	Schalkstetten	GER	Veteran
Manel Lloret	Lleida	ESP	Rookie
Netzhammer Stefan	Büttenhardt	SWI	Veteran
Dr. Offer Gerhard	Mieming	AUS	Veteran
Ruiz Elvira José Felix	Aranda de Duero	ESP	Veteran
Salva Luque	Beriain (Navarra)	ESP	Rookie
Stolz Jürgen	Penzing	GER	Veteran
Stuber Volkmar	Wurzelbühl	GER	Veteran
Uriondo Iban	Ventas de Armentia	ESP	Rookie
Vanessa Bambi	Auronzo Di Cadore	ITA	Rookie
Wightwick Stephen	Seaford	GB	Rookie
Winter Heini	Augsburg	GER	Veteran
Wüthrich Rudolf	Zweideln	SWI	Veteran
Zautua Iñigo Bizkarguenaga	Vizcaya	ESP	Rookie

Total: 45
Last update: Saturday, December 8, 2007

12/8/2007 9:11:32 PM UTC    Comments [0] 

Almost six months old now... how time flies!

11/24/2007 6:23:15 PM UTC    Comments [0] 

Today was the first of our 12 milers… We go 12miles again tomorrow then back to 7 until after rest… then will stick on 12 until 25th Nov!

Going up hill…

Ooh; some flat, almost...

Dam-it, more hills and steep…

11/11/2007 5:25:25 PM UTC    Comments [0] 

by Graham Kent (Axhandle Mountain Kennel); taken from his window this morning.

Temperature -8c (17.6f) looking good...

11/9/2007 9:30:42 AM UTC    Comments [0] 

Yesterday our sleds from Daniel Mellina and the Antipode team got delivered from France safe and sound :o) always a bonus…

Both sleds are well equipped with two snow hooks, a sled break & drag/snow mat… and collapse/fold down to a nice transportable flat pack.

Very much looking forward to giving them a blast out on the trail in Sweden……

10/31/2007 9:08:06 AM UTC    Comments [0] 

6 dog class:
Bachmann Florian	Vöhrenbach	GER	Veteran
Ballas Thorsten	Lampertheim	GER	Veteran
Lorenzo Lorenzo Roberto	Galicia	ESP	Rookie
Marina Javier	Burgos	ESP	Veteran
Martinez Erik	Le Vernet	FRA	Rookie
Rogg Hans	Mindelheim	GER	Veteran
Dr. Schmid Christoph	Rimbach	GER	Rookie
Steigenberger Otto	Kiefersfelden	GER	Veteran
Weber René	Menziken	SWI	Rookie
8 dog class:
Binzer Lutz	Langerringen	GER	Veteran
Bizkarguenaga Zautua	Vizcaya	ESP	Rookie
Bogart Fabienne	Maura	NOR	Rookie
Cremer Susanne	Saint-Andelain	FRA	Veteran
Föger Erwin	Obsteig	AUS	Veteran
Gausereide Per Olav	Maura	NOR	Rookie
Gut Thomas	Frauenau	GER	Veteran
Hansen Morten	Oslo	NOR	Rookie
Heilemann Marte	Oslo	NOR	Veteran
Kriegler Winfried	Wiesenburg	GER	Veteran
Kronbach Johannes	Hüfingen	GER	Veteran
Kuhn Uli	Wotersen	GER	Veteran
Laudel Jens	Netzichkau	GER	Rookie
Link Michael	Schalkstetten	GER	Veteran
Netzhammer Stefan	Büttenhardt	SWI	Veteran
Dr. Offer Gerhard	Mieming	AUS	Veteran
Ruiz Elvira José Felix	Aranda de Duero	ESP	Veteran
Stolz Jürgen	Penzing	GER	Veteran
Wightwick Stephen	Seaford	GB	Rookie
Winter Heini	Augsburg	GER	Veteran
Wüthrich Rudolf	Zweideln	SWI	Veteran

Total: 30
Last update: Sunday, October 28, 2007

10/29/2007 9:02:47 AM UTC    Comments [0] 

Today we started training dogs on 7 mile loop. Will go 7 miles tomorrow, then one 4 mile before scheduled rest days; followed by 7 mile runs until around the 11th Nov, when we leap frog to 12 miles…

10/28/2007 5:40:40 PM UTC    Comments [0] 

As from yesterday, entries for this very picturesque mid-distance sled dog race held in the Italian / Switzerland Alps became available.
With great enthusiasm and after prior reconsideration of entering the Pirena, I faxed my entry form today as a participant. This will be my first MD race, which is approximately 40-60 km per stage, total approx. 300 km, split into 6 stages as follows.

January 12/13th Lü –S-charl, Val Müstair/Switzerland
January 15/16th Prags - Cortina / Italy
January 18/19th Sexten / Italy

This will also be my first race on snow (rookie for sure)... but I’ll get plenty of practice and snow under dogs feet prior to the race in Sweden; where we will be staying at Graham Kent’s kennel (Axehandle mountain) for three weeks. Graham tells me that they got there first snowfall last night, and that it’s currently -5c :o)

My first time on the sled in Feb 2007, Magali leads…

Besides rekindling my sled experience once we are in Sweden, I will need to teach training partner and good friend Malc the ropes so to speak. But I don’t’ think I’ll have Malc holding on to me like I held on to Magali when we went out on single sled :o)

Travelling: For us there will be a lot of driving involved, for starters, Graham Kent’s kennel is 1637miles from my place in England. And the Alpen Trail (Alps) is another 1645miles from Grahams; followed by 844miles back to England. Thankfully this will be divided up three ways, three drivers…

The Party outbound from England via the Euro tunnel on the 16 December 2007 will be:
Me – Race Musher / Driver
Malcolm Goodwin (friend & financially supportive) – Training Partner / Handler / Driver
Michael Wightwick (brother) - Handler / Driver (will join us in Sweden a couple of days prior to leaving for the Alps)
Oh, not forgetting the dogs (fifteen)… view us here.

Others that have helped me with decisions and information:
Alan Stewart - Cairngorm Sled dog Centre/Aviemore
Graeme Scott - QuickStep Kennel
Heini Winter D - AT Organisation
Jacques & Magali Philip - Noatak Kennels

For further information on the Alpen Trail; please visit alpentrail.com

Have a great season…

PS: We are currently on the look out for sponsors!

10/12/2007 7:10:03 PM UTC    Comments [0] 

During summer 2007, Arctic sea ice plummeted to the lowest levels since satellite measurements began in 1979. The average sea ice area for September was 4.28 million square kilometers (1.65 million square miles), the lowest September on record. At the end of the 2007 melt season, sea ice area was 39 percent less than the long-term average from 1979 to 2000. Some estimates based on ship and aircraft records acquired prior to the satellite era suggest that sea ice may have retreated by as much as 50 percent since the 1950s.

Click here to view full article with video clip.

10/8/2007 7:59:27 AM UTC    Comments [0] 

Spot the dog walker!

Err... Someone's in season / heat...

10/7/2007 4:26:46 PM UTC    Comments [0] 

Tonight we started quad training with 14 dogs on 4 mile loop. I put one of my recently flown over babies in swing (leader Chrome), and the other; powerhouse Fuego in wheel… as always, it’s extremely pleasing to watch sled dogs in action, that just want to pull hard for the love of it :o)

Sorry! My camera doesn’t take good pictures at dusk…

I will keep Chrome in swing for now… it will give her a chance to get use to our complicated training trails and a chance for her heat/season to pass.

Getting ready for training the night before…

Nice and clean… I don’t think it will look like this anymore after a few days of training with rain…. Oh-well… never mind :o)

Training life at the other side of the world (Alaska); Magali captures a great photo illustrating dogs working hard at there kennel just for the love of it!

9/28/2007 8:02:04 PM UTC    Comments [0] 

Today with much delight, I picked up my babies Chrome and Fuego from the London Gatwick airport…

There journey started on the early morning of the 25th (AK local time) at the Noatak Kennel near Nenana, Alaska, where Jacques and Magali drove them to Continental’s cargo facility in Anchorage, via the state vets USDA office for endorsement of paperwork.

It was just a few days ago, both Magali and I where stressing out with regards to raising the correct paperwork for the state vet to endorse, as Chrome and Fuego where going to travel to the UK under the Pets Passport Scheme… but I had good feeling that all would come good in the end :o)

Magali, I owe you a few roast dinners now!!! All the best to both of you, have a great season…

Chrome (Leader)

Fuego

9/27/2007 8:37:48 AM UTC    Comments [0] 

Over the last couple of months I’ve been designing and re-fitting out the dog van.
Today